Parasol Stars

Parasol Stars

Information

Developer(s)

Taito

Publisher(s)

Taito

Release date

February 15, 1991

Genre

Plataforms

Platform(s)

PC Engine, Amiga, Atari ST, Game Boy, Wii Virtual Console

Parasol Stars (パラソルスター,Parasoru Sutā?) is a video game released by Taito in 1991 for the PC Engine. It is the sequel to Rainbow Islands, and the third game in the Bubble Bobble series. Unlike the previous installments, the game was never released on an arcade machine.

Contents

Once, long ago, there was a courageous warrior that entered a Cave of Monsters with the intent of sealing it forever. He accomplished this task, however, unknown to him, one monster escaped before the cave was sealed. Years passed, and that one monster eventually grew strong enough to break the power of the warrior's magic seal. That monster, who became known as Chaostikhan, unleashed the monsters within the cave on the world once again.

During this same period of time, Bubby and Bobby, our heroes, had won the admiration of the villagers of Rainbow Islands by defeating the enemies terrorizing their planet, allowing peace to settle in. To show their appreciation, the inhabitants of the Island entrusted one Magic Parasol each to Bubby and Bobby. In the months that followed, Bub and Bob were so intent on learning to harness the power of the Magic Parasols that they did not notice the menacing presence that was overtaking the neighboring planets. One day, they received an emergency distress signal from one of those nearby planets. Though they had not quite mastered the techniques for using the Magic Parasols, they courageously raised their parasols toward the planet in distress and disappeared into the skies above Rainbow Island, unaware of the danger and size of their new quest.

After rescuing the inhabitants of Rainbow Islands in their last hair-raising adventure, Bub and Bob are enjoying a well earned vacation. However, their peace is shattered when the warmongering warrior Chaostikhan unleashes a magma of menacing monsters throughout the universe.

With their magic parasols in hand (gifts from the grateful Rainbow Islanders) Bub and Bob must defeat the monsters and free the universe.

Bub and Bob depart from Rainbow World to take on the monsters of seven wildly different planets:

Are there more worlds beyond these eight? Only you can find out, and only if you can unlock the secret of the Parasol Stars!!! If you get the Star Miracle, you can get a key which will let you into world 9.

During the game, 4 different kinds of crests can appear - seemingly at random. These crests represent the power of Water, Fire, Lightning, and Stars. When three crests are collected, their power is unleashed in the form of a miracle!

Tip: When you create a large drop twice in the same round, the same kind of crest will appear on the next round!

Insert the Parasol Stars disk into the internal disk drive of your computer and switch it on. The game will then automatically load and run. The disk must be in the disk drive at all times whilst the game is running.

This is a one or two player game controlled by joystick only. To start a one player game press fire on joystick one. To start a two player game press fire on joystick two. Whilst either player is playing, the other player can join in at any time by pressing fire on his/her joystick, providing there are sufficient credits available,

The volume of the music can be altered using the + and - keys on the keyboard. The sound effects will always play at the same volume, to change this alter the volume setting on your TV or monitor. To abort game press ESC whilst the game is paused.

A stunned enemy will soon revive with a vengeance if left alone. It is therefore wise to dispose of enemies soon after they are stunned. Pick them up by pressing Button II and touching them with the open Parasol. Throw them by releasing Button II.

When you throw an enemy or Drop, hidden food or valuable items will appear! Throw things repeatedly for mega-scores! If you are very lucky a 100 Dollar Coin will appear. Retrieve it and you will receive one extra credit!

Don't spend too much time searching for hidden bonus items without clearing a round. If you do, HURRY!! will appear on the screen and the enemies will move faster. After this, you will get only one more warning before Death arrives to try to take a life. Since Death cannot be defeated, the only way to escape is to finish the round. If Death successfully takes a life, he disappears for a while.

When Bub or Bob is playing he will have a status display at the top of the screen showing his name, how many lives he has left and his score.

If neither of them are playing then this space will be occupied with the message PRESS FIRE and the number of credits. If there are no credits left then GAME OVER will be displayed. If both Bub and Bob are playing then you will not be able to see how many credits you have until one player dies.

In the center of the status area is a blank space where the miracle icons will be displayed when you collect them.

Points are scored by collecting objects and by destroying the monsters.

Every food item collected will score between 10 points and 10,000 points. All big food items will score 100,000 points.

To get points for destroying baddies you need to throw monsters against each other when they are paralyzed (green or blue). You get 2000 for the first monster you destroy this way, then 4000 then 8000, doubling all the time up to 100,000 if you destroy seven or more monsters with a single throw.

An extra life is awarded after 100,000 points and then after every 1,000,000 points.

As the food you collect becomes more valuable then watch out for the 100 coin - it's only worth 100 points, but it gives you an extra credit!

To destroy the monsters you first have to paralyze them. This is done by hitting them with your parasol, or for the stronger monsters by throwing objects at them. When a monster is paralyzed then it will turn green (if Bub paralyzed it) or blue (if paralyzed by Bob).

When a monster is paralyzed you can destroy it, either by picking it up and throwing it against the wall, or by throwing something else at it.

Most levels have some sort of magic droplets dripping and rolling around them. You can collect these drops on top of your parasol and throw them at the monsters. But best of all, if you collect five small drops on top of your parasol they will merge to give you a mega-drop.

The most important technique to master is attacking monsters from below. If you are standing below a monster then put your parasol up by pressing fire and holding the joystick down. Then jump by quickly moving the joystick up. Your parasol will remain up and you should paralyze the monster. If you jump up with the parasol up above your head then you can keep it there by quickly moving the joystick down whilst still pressing fire.

You can collect objects by walking over them or by throwing something over them.

You can often find new objects by throwing something over the ground.

Some objects just give you points, some give you special powers such as:

Magic Shoes - Helps you move up to twice as fast.

Hearts - Gives you bonus food when you finish a level.

Ring - Raises scores!

Power Heart - Give you deadly powers for a limited time.

Clock - Stops time for everyone but you.

Bomb - Explodes with catastrophic effect!

There are four very special items - the Miracle icons. Every time you collect one of these it will appear at the top of the screen when you have collected three you will get a miracle. If you get three correctly then this will open doors for you!!! The most powerful miracle icon is the Parasol Stars!

Get three similar Miracle Icons and a door will appear at the end of the world after you beat the boss. Behind this door will be a special giant item. All of the monsters on the level where you caused the miracle will become 100,000 point giant point items!

Lightning Miracle: A giant bell will appear. All the levels in the next world will have an increased chance of crosses or other good items appearing. (It appears in Rounds 1-1, 2-1, 2-5, 4-1, 6-1, 7-2).

Water Miracle: A giant crystal ball will appear. All the levels in the next world which contain a Miracle Icon will reveal the Icon when you first start the level. You won't have to wait for it to appear. (It appears in Rounds 1-6, 3-6, 5-1, 5-3, 5-4.)

Fire Miracle: A giant lamp will appear. All the levels in the next world will cause dead monsters to turn into 10,000 point items. (It appears in Rounds 3-1, 4-5, 5-6.)

Star Miracle: A giant key will appear which will allow you to enter the last level. (It appears in Rounds 6-2, 7-1, 8-6.)

Each planet has seven levels, on the last level of each world there is a special planetary guardian. This cannot be defeated by normal means. Bub and Bob must collect the power flagons to give them temporary special power. If you put your parasol up above your head (down+fire) then you will generate droplets on it which can be thrown at the guardian, or you can continue generating droplets to get a mega-drop.